Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)

The development of the sustainable district of the Haute Deûle River Banks, associated to Euratechnologies TIC center, leans on recognition of water as an element of its foundation. The current innovation is about the water garden. It is a part of the bigger project, building an eco-district on the banks of the Haute Deule river. The water garden, which plays the role of storage (stormwater) and of phytoremediator, evolves with the rhythm of rain and becomes the emblematic place for this work with water. Its vegetation improves every year and the natural seeds of young willow trees contribute to the establishment of a dynamic ecosystem (Ref 1).

The river Emscher is the symbol of one of the internationally most renowned industrial regions: the Ruhr area with its 5 million inhabitants and an important location of key industries such as steel, chemical, and materials industry. The revitalisation of the Emscher over the last 20 years marks a new phase in the region‘s history and is an impressive example of ecological and socio-economic transformation affecting all aspects of life along the river (Ref. 1).

Together with the Office for Urban Greenery and Waters of the City of Leipzig, the charitable association Ökolöwe Leipzig started the green facades initiative "Kletterfix - Green Walls for Leipzig" in 2015. The project aims at creating awareness about the multiple benefits of urban green walls and inspiring action of tenants and landlords on private property. As a measure mandated by the Urban Clean Air Plan, green facades improve the urban microclimate, general living conditions and combat particulate matter pollution. On-site advice about suitable plants and maintenance is provided upon application and respective seeds for up to 5 plants are sent for free to the applicants by the city department (1, 3, 7).

The ANNALINDE gGmbH operates multifunctional urban agriculture and demonstration projects in the Western part of Leipzig: a community garden, a nursery and a fruit garden on a former train station where the emphasis is on community development and mutual learning processes in addition to food production. This is safeguarded by an events portfolio consisting of garden working days, workshops and collaborations with schools, kindergartens and like-minded organizations. In addition to that, open urban labs are operated for a number of initiatives and projects covering subject areas like urban agriculture, recycling, composting, urban bees, urban resilience and sustainable urban development (1).

The Villa Turrisi park has been the subject of a regeneration process request, implemented by some associations and citizens in order to protect the park. The goal of this citizen-based initiative is to regenerate the area with the expansion of the urban park, by adding several trees and plants. The main benefits of the project, apart from the cultural and social value of the new area, is the mitigation effect of the park in response to threats such as urban pollution, improvement of air quality, and biodiversity conservation (both plants and animal species). (Ref.1.)

The intervention will be carried out in the Zen neighbourhood, as part of an overarching project which includes the care of green areas and plantation of new trees in the parks, especially those close to public schools. There will be 11 specific areas of intervention within the Zen neighbourhood. In addition, it is underlined the specific service provided by those new areas, such as the positive impact of the green view, the mitigation of effects such as urban pollution and human impact on the environment. (Ref.1.)

The former site of the Krupp cast steel factory was transformed into a 230 hectares green belt stretching from the city
center to the district of Altendorf, while the adjacent industrial wasteland was turned into an 11 hectares add-on to the Krupp Park (Ref. 1). The landscape vision "Freiraum creates urban space", in which the Krupp Park is a building block, is a comprehensive strategic approach that aims to gradually build up new urban landscape structures and to create diverse qualities of location for different urban uses" (Ref. 9).

The association Codifas started its own initiative to inform citizens on the danger of practising traditional agriculture, and the advantages of sustainable agriculture. The initiative has been implemented by applying the concept of social inclusion, which means that young people from foreign countries (Ghana, Senegal etc.) were involved in the project and they helped to realize it. Together with the goal of social inclusion, the project has important benefits in terms of sustainable production and consumption. The whole area for cultivation has been divided into several plots, for those citizens who are willing to cultivate it. (Ref.1.)

INCREDIBLE EDIBLE (or "Incroyables Comestibles" in French) is an experiment of social innovation: the volunteers of the movement cultivate small vegetable gardens scattered in the cities and the countryside and make their products available free of charge (Ref. 1). This, the first intervention, took place in front of the "Epicerie du Coing" where volunteers planted several vegetables, flowers and plants (Ref. 2).

In order to improve the Indian Neighourhood, a 'ribbon' of multiple pocket parks was created that improves social cohesion and environmental quality. The area lacked social cohesion previous to the creation of the pocket parks and was faced with nuisance from addicts and drug dealers as they were involved in disturbing behaviour, vandalism and criminality (1,10). This created an unsafe environment for the inhabitants of the neighbourhood (1,5) In the stamp parks, social activities are organized and the green spaces are completely managed by citizens themselves. (1)